Monrovia : Barking-Dog Law Enacted

Monrovia now has a barking-dog ordinance that has some bite in it.

Under the new law, dog owners who let their pets bark may end up defending them in court. The City Council acted after residents complained that dog owners were ignoring calls about noisy pets.

The city previously did not have an ordinance to address what Assistant City Manager Jeanne Kennedy called a minor but annoying problem. “The Humane Society talked to the owners and that was it,” she said. And dogs continued to bark.

Under the new ordinance, the Humane Society will be notified and send a letter to the dog owner. If that does not solve the problem, the complaining neighbor is to write dates and times of the disturbance and files a formal complaint with the city clerk. The city then wil contact the owner and the Humane Society will launch an investigation. If the complaint has merit, the animal control officer will issue a written warning to the owner.

If the disturbances continue, the control officer can declare the dog a public nuisance and write an order of abatement to the owner. A citation will then be issued and the owner will be required to appear in court. The maximum fine is $150 for the first offense.